Chronicles of Razu Teionhakushi: Reprise of the Subterranean Sun
by Razwerkz
Summary: BOOK 2: Utsuho plots revenge against Razu for defeating her previously. (Please read Human-Machine in Foreign Lands first to understand the plot.)
1. Thoughts of Redemption

CHAPTER 01 / Thoughts of Redemption

You know, Hell isn't so bad.

Some people say it's too hot down here. Sure, the place is powered by nuclear fusion, but what's the problem with that? It's really quite comfortable.

Orin and I live here with Mistress Satori, and her sister, Mistress Koishi. However, they had both went up to investigate some things that had to do with some recent incident-that thing with Rumia and that newcomer...

Razu. That name leaves a bad taste in my mouth, after my encounter with him not too long before that incident. Him, the shrine maiden, and the witch...

I'll have my triumph. I'll get my revenge soon enough...I'll make damn sure of that.

Orin and I were indeed pets of Mistress Satori, but we weren't without our purposes. We both had jobs. Orin brings the corpses down, and I keep the core in check.

Control of the core just comes naturally to me. Ever since I gained this power, I've experimented with it, played with it, honed my energy, so that I can make the best of it. I can build fusion coils, cores, and I've even built a weapon-which I carry with me almost all the time-that helps me focus my nuclear energy and direct it toward my opponent in large amounts. In respect of the late yatagarasu before me, I had named it the "Third Leg."

I had a side panel of the Third Leg dismantled on a table in my private quarters. Assorted tools were strewn around it.

My room was placed close to the core-the temperature was the most comfortable there, and I wouldn't have to go far, should I have to check up on the core. The room consisted of a table in the middle for small-time hands-on repairs and modifications (a workshop table, if you prefer), a bed (which was big enough to accommodate my rather large wingspan), a small control panel for the intercom system which also displayed alert messages when necessary, and a countertop that served as another workspace. The only thing decorative was the large fusion coils-one in each corner of the room itself-which did not serve much more purpose than to provide sufficient lighting.

I was making modifications to the Third Leg, quietly readying for my revenge, specifically against the red-black annoyance. Suddenly, there was a knock on the steel door. I glanced over at the door, then huffed and sat the screwdriver I was holding back onto the table.

I pressed the button, and the door slid open.

"Dinner's been ready for ten minutes. I called for you...is your intercom working?"

I looked back at the intercom placement, which was totally blank on the wall. I shifted my glance over to the countertop, where the horn was taken apart and had screws and a screwdriver sitting next to it.

"Sorry, Orin..." She put her fists to her hips and shook her head. "I'll be joining you in a minute."

"I've already finished..." Orin sighed. "Just finish up and come whenever." The door slid shut.

I glanced back at the intercom pieces on the countertop. I guessed that I'd have to get that finished soon. It would be quite unfortunate if I missed an emergency announcement, after all.

Then I looked at the Third Leg. I stared at it for a good minute and a half, thinking about how I would take him down. Sighing, I decided that I was kinda hungry, and set out for the dining area. 


	2. The Key

CHAPTER 02 / The Key

I was rather full-dinner was great tonight. Orin is a great cook. Afterward, I felt really tired. It wasn't even late, but I decided to sleep anyway.

I woke up early the following morning. After getting dressed, I set out to get breakfast. I opened the door to find a note stuck on it.

"Satori, Koishi, and I are off to take care of some things. Be back whenever."

Well that's nice. The Mistresses had been and gone, and Orin had left without notice. Ah, well. Whatever it was, I was sure they would be fine. I decided I was going to go out and get some air anyway. I made my own breakfast and ate, went back to my room and equipped the Third Leg, and set out for the city.

The Underground City, as the nameless locale was often referred to (more prominently by the people above ground), was usually bustling, but it was still early. Only a few shops were open at this time, and the area was dimly lit. Sure, I was only going out for air, but this was boring. I decided to head up to the surface. Spreading my large black wings, I took flight and made for the caverns.

The trip through the caverns proved just as uneventful as the city. Dark and unmoving, with the exception of myself. Hell, even the Third Leg had been emitting a dim glow that was enough to light the area around me.

At the end of the caverns, I started to fly up the old inactive geyser. The light from outside became brighter and covered more of my vision until I exited and the sunlight flushed my eyes. I squinted for a moment until my eyes were ready, then I flew further up above the nearby hot spring.

Flight isn't a rarely-seen ability here in Gensokyo. As far as I know, only humans aren't able to fly soon after birth. Even so, there are those three humans...

I thought out loud. "Why don't I try and find out where he lives..."

I scanned across the landscape, but I didn't see anything right away. Wait...what is that?

With plans to investigate the strange wreck, I descended toward what was apparently a smashed up rail vehicle. It looks like one of those "trains" from the outside world. What in the world was it doing crushed against a tree at the edge of the forest?

Suddenly, an explosion from within the forest shook the disheveled scrapheap. Taking interest, and considering the possibilities of the cause, I leapt back into the air and hovered at an altitude that allowed me to see where the resulting smoke was rising from. I made a beeline for a nearby opening as to not be immediately discovered.

As I hid in the brush behind a tree close to where the explosion had taken place, I noticed the black-white coughing in a cloud of smoke and dust.

"Gah," she coughed, "it wasn't supposed to do that, ze! Maybe if I..." As she continued to mutter to herself about what to correct about her failed spell, she brushed off her dress and walked inside her house.

According to the tengu's paper, Razu and this magician share a sort of...intimate...relationship. That was it-Marisa was my way to him! 


	3. Setting the Charge

Chapter 03 / Setting the Charge

Yes, Marisa was the key! If I could capture her, Razu would surely come to me! So then, I'd just blast her and take her away!

"Marisa? I heard an explosion, are you alright?"

No! Dammit! I didn't want him to be here! However, I didn't want to back out of the plan just because of this inconvenience...

I jumped up and flew up high, above the trees, and took aim into the clearing, at Razu. He looked up in surprise.

"Utsuho!?"

In my hand I held my spellcard, and shifted my aim towards Marisa's home. Razu turned and shouted into the house.

"MARISA! GET OUTSIDE!"

"What, ze?" she shouted from inside.

"Explosion Sign: 'Mega Flare'!"

I saw him make a quick movement to fly in the way of the beam.

BOOM!

The sound of the explosion was amazing. The flash was bright; my cape was flapping from the force of it. When the smoke cleared, I saw Razu, alive and well, behind a large red barrier. The house was undamaged. I scowled as he gave me a furious look. Marisa rushed out the front door and looked up at us.

"Raz! Okuu, ze!?"

The force field disappeared as Razu lowered his hands. He then pointed at me. His left eye was glowing an intense bright red.

"What do you want?"

"You have the nerve to ask that?" I shouted. "Surely you don't think I'd take that last defeat lying down!" I threw my hand forward and sent out several bullets into the ground around Razu. As the dust filled the area, I used the coverage to swoop down and take position behind Marisa, and before she could turn around, I hit her in the back of the head with my buster, and knocked her unconscious. I then hoisted her over my shoulder and quickly took flight into the still waking morning sky.

I could hear him shouting out Marisa's name into the sky, not knowing which direction I had went. 


	4. Supporting Fire

CHAPTER 04 / Supporting Fire

I had made it out of the forest and was just flying by the strange rail car wreckage when Marisa suddenly came to.

"Huh...? H-Hey! Let go of me, ze!"

She began squirming and trying to get loose of me, until she was able to get a spellcard from her pocket.

"Love Sign: 'Master Spark'!"

A brilliant, colourful light hit my eyes at the same time the beam hit my torso, where she had placed her hand. The blast itself propelled her upward, as well as pushed me down from the sky and into the ground below-right next to the wreckage. As I looked up, Marisa started to fall.

As she fell, Marisa grabbed another spellcard. Nuh-uh; she wasn't gonna Spark me again. I followed suit and reached into my pocket, held the card against the Third Leg as I held it for support while I aimed at her, opening the six vents on the sides and positioning myself on one knee, bracing for the recoil.

"Love Sign: 'Master Spark'!"

"Explosion Sign: 'Giga Flare'!"

As I fired the massive nuclear beam, the expected recoil nearly pushed me onto my back. But I held fast, as the hot wave of raw nuclear energy launched up, and collided with her multicoloured laser. We pushed our attacks to their limits, held out for as long as we could, until the two beams' contact point exploded. The blast pushed me backwards; I tumbled over myself and slammed my head hard against the side of the rail car with a loud clang.

Marisa started to fall. It seemed that she was unable to fly without her broom. I needed her alive; I can't let her hit the ground!

Suddenly, the red-black himself quickly made himself known, as he flew into view from within the forest.

"Marisa, catch!"

He tossed her broom up to her, and she caught it and took flight before she managed to make an impression into the earth. She then tossed a jar at me, that wound up hitting the ground close by, and exploding with a magic force. I was able to shield myself from damage.

Well, despite being outnumbered, I did, in fact, have Razu's attention.

"You alright, Marisa?"

"Yeah, ze."

I decided that I wasn't going to wait for them to shift their focus back to me. I reached for another spellcard.

"Light Energy: 'High-Tension Blade'!"

As the card dissolved, nuclear energy from within me formed into an energy saber extending from my buster. Upon declaring the spell, I charged for Razu. Once he noticed me, he quickly tossed up a field, causing me to strike it instead of him.

"Attacking while the opponent's not ready? Now that's just plain rude."

I glared at his remark, then struck down at his field, as hard as I possibly could.

"HeeeaaAAAAAH!"

The nuclear blade contacted with the field, and shattered it, sending him into a backward roll. He quickly recovered and kicked off of the ground, to hover a few feet above it a bit further back. He stared me down as he reached for a spellcard of his own, and showed it to me.

"Carbon-Fibre Blade: 'Ethereal Edge'!"

He let go of the dissolving spellcard and reached a hand toward the ground, and a large carbon sword jutted out from the rock beneath the dirt, and ascended up to meet its hilt with his hand.

He smirked at me. "You want a sword battle, you've got it!" 


	5. Resolve, Burning as Hot as the Sun

CHAPTER 05 / Resolve, Burning as Hot as the Sun

It was probably about eight in the morning. Yet, the sun was bearing down on us like it was midday. It felt nice. Perfect battling weather. A sun goddess like myself would prefer nothing more in order to be at her fullest, right?

Razu and Marisa were standing across from me, at the ready-Razu with his newly created weapon-as I stood with the light blade and Third Leg.

"I'm not gonna let you beat me this time, Razu. You have no chance." I was aiming to get into his head. "Look around you. As we brace for our battle, the sun burns brightly. Why would you even think you stand a chance?"

"I don't care if the sun's hurtling toward Gensokyo," Razu responded, "I'm still going to beat you into the dirt!" With that, he clutched the hilt of his sword, and charged at me.

"Haaah!" He swung the blade at me hard. I blocked it with the side of the Third Leg, and parried his blade into the ground as I made a swing for his torso. He released the blade, and jumped back, just in time to only have his shirt and some of his coat scorched a bit.

He patted the small flames out of his burned shirt, and pulled a spellcard. I dismissed the light blade and drew another card as well. I declared first.

"Geothermal: 'Nuclear Blaze Geyser'!"

I slammed the arm cannon against the ground, creating large geysers of fire moving towards Razu. He jumped back from one that almost hit him, but the next hit him hard and sent him skyward. He tumbled into the air for a brief moment before leveling himself out, and put both his hands out in front of him, towards me.

"10,000 Decibels: 'Bass Blast'!"

That card again. I remember the last time I had experienced that one. It took me days to fix that hole in the reactor room's wall. I reacted quickly:

"Light Cover: 'Nuclear Visor'!"

The card dispersed, and I was able to summon an energy shield just before the red beam impacted. The shield took the entirety of the impact, but the shield itself sapped energy from me, so I could only hold it for a few seconds more. I grabbed another spellcard, and dashed to the side as the shield dissipated. He turned, and started to chase me with the beam. I rushed toward him-beneath him-and slammed my palm-and the card-onto the ground beneath him.

"'Subterranean Sun'!"

The ground in front of me started to glow bright, and I could feel the earth growing hotter and hotter. Then, the ground broke, and sent chunks of dirt everywhere as a sun, comprised of Hell's fire, shot up into Razu and consumed him.

"RAZ, ZE!" 


	6. Newly Found Power

CHAPTER 06 / Newly Found Power

I thought I had done him in. I was wrong.

"Intelligent Dance: 'Subsonic Fracture'!"

My sun exploded. Razu was where the newly formed sun used to be, surrounded by falling orange embers. Both his arms and legs were stretched out, as if he had just pushed the sun apart from around him. His body was glowing, emanating this red aura...and even moreso from his eyes. Not glowing like before-this was brighter, and it was both of his eyes...

I stepped back. What was this newly found power of his? I didn't wait to get another spellcard. Taking position, I braced myself, placing a foot back a bit and securing the Third Leg with my hand as I aimed it at him. I wasn't taking any more chances-I was going to put as much as I could into this next attack.

"Explosion Sign: 'Giga Flare'!"

The vents on the Third Leg opened, and I charged for a brief moment before firing a massive nuclear beam upward at him. The power from the shot pushed me on one knee as I held the cannon. I pushed as much energy as I could into this one shot.

There was a loud explosion that rocked Gensokyo's very foundation as the beam collided with his glowing form. Marisa was to the side, starting to get up and reach for a spellcard, but she was distracted by the sudden dispersion of my attack. Razu had fired his own beam of energy, holding one hand forward. It looked like an attack almost exactly like his Bass Blast...but with no spellcard! Is that what his most recently used spell does?

My attack was keeping him from hitting me directly. He then brought up a cluster of bullets from his own energy aura, and started sending them at me randomly and wildly. I had to let go of Giga Flare and move away before he broke through. As I jumped to the side, a bullet clipped my wing and sent me into a lopsided spin into the ground.

"ARE YOU QUITE FINISHED?" His voice was different from before; more terrifying... He began to rush at me as he charged for another shot. "THIS IS IT, UTSUHO!" He closed in quickly, pulling a hand back as he poured energy into it, preparing to grab my face and blast it out of existence.

I had little time to react.

"Light Cover: 'Nuclear Visor'!"

I admit to being scared. I curled away from my approaching opponent as I put my hand out, where the visor had appeared. He couldn't stop his charge, and Razu ended up throwing himself into the visor, almost instantly sending him backwards, stunned, but not by much. He kicked up off of the ground, and glared at me with his bright, red eyes, as he floated not too far from the visor. He threw both hands in the direction of the visor-and, by extension, me-and charged for only a brief second, before firing a full-scale Bass Blast. The visor absorbed it for only a second before shattering like mere glass. I had to think fast!

"Ahhh, e-e-Explosion Sign: 'Giga Flare'!"

He was throwing really powerful attacks at me! The battle was getting too hot, and I was getting nervous and losing focus. I rolled to the side to avoid his blast, and swung the Third Leg in his direction as the shot charged, leaving gaseous trails of nuclear fumes from the open vents. I didn't brace myself, and the recoil from Giga Flare sent me off-target. The massive beam grazed Razu, and veered right...toward Marisa. She didn't see the beam coming, until it slammed her with such a force, she was sent flying and a tree caught her. She was unconscious; alive...but severely injured. Her clothes were singed and her hat was somewhere else.

"MARISA!" The terrifying voice was now showing a hint of its own terror, as Razu flew over to Marisa's aid. As soon as he knew she was still alive, he turned his sights toward me-his brightly glowing red eyes, now even brighter, piercing my confidence.

'Uh-oh,' I thought, 'it is WAY past time to leave.' 


	7. Backfire

CHAPTER 07 / Backfire

My facial expression said everything that my fight-or-flight instinct was shouting. 'Oh shit.' I frantically grabbed the next appropriate spellcard, but I fumbled it. Glancing back and forth, at the card and up at Razu, who was now floating toward me ever so slowly, I made a quick movement for the card. Razu reached his palm out toward a close-by rock, and clenched his fist. The rock, soon after, exploded into a thousand pieces, leaving only a large sword. Without stopping, he grabbed the hilt and continued floating toward me. I finally grabbed the card and started running in the opposite direction, then jumped into the air.

"Rocket Dive!"

With a burst of nuclear energy, I threw myself south, hoping to whatever god or deitic figure that might accept it, that I would escape.

As I flew through the sky at high speed, I reflected on the day's events. I had a plan; said plan veered off course and ultimately failed. Looks like I won't be redeeming myself this time-I'll only be fleeing like a coward. It was at this time that I glanced behind me and saw Razu catching up to me. I pushed more energy into trying to fly faster. My wings were aching; I don't think I've ever flown this fast.

Bullets began rushing past me from behind. Razu was gaining. The geyser was coming up fast. I saw a patch of trees down below. I'd have to blind or distract him so he doesn't see me dive down into those woods for cover.

I decided to suddenly turn around and start firing danmaku his way. Each bullet was effectively deflected or dodged, as he continued to close in on me. Not only that, but his energy levels continued to rise, so much so that I could both see and feel his aura. His body glowed brighter and brighter.

...I recognize this effect. This is just like Abyss Nova. But maybe his is different... Is his conserved energy expelled when attacking?

I figured that the only way to find out was to get him to attack. And soon...before he reaches his limit, if that's the case.

He was still closing in on me. Suddenly, I had an idea. I dove down into the trees; he followed suit. I began weaving in and out of random incoming trees as I blazed through the wooded area. Quickly, I turned around and aimed my buster his way, firing a moderately-sized blast of nuclear energy, indiscriminately taking down trees in the same direction.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Behind me!?

I swung around and put the Third Leg up just in time to catch his blade. CLANG! The force of the impact pushed me onto one knee.

It was at this point that I realized how much power he had stored inside him due to his spell. It was hot to be next to him. His body heat was not just body heat. He felt like Hell.

I swept my leg below him, tripping him and landing him on his back. He kept glowing brighter and brighter. Red turned to white, and Razu began to yell out loud. My eyes widened, and without a second thought, I made my quickest route upward through the tree canopy. But I wasn't clear enough. The small forest glowed bright red, then flashed bright white as he unleashed his energy all at once, in a forceful explosion. The shockwave hit me, and sent me further into the sky, then tumbling down to a spine-shattering landing in a close-by field.

My cape was tattered, and the Third Leg had a very noticeable engravement from where he brought his sword down onto it. My skirt had a rip in it, and to top it all off, I had the worst back-ache in history, and I swore I had a couple of broken ribs. I felt dizzy. I wanted to collapse, but I knew, after an explosion like that, the shrine maiden was already on her way. I struggled to stand, then tried to fly.

The WORST idea ever was to try and move my left wing. A pain that took my mind off of all my other pains shot through from the fracture in my wing. I had no choice but to run. I made a break for the geyser, taking the long way around the shrine. 


	8. Insult to Injury

CHAPTER 08 / Insult to Injury

I managed to get to the geyser without being seen. Not wanting to hang around on the surface any longer, I nearly jumped straight down...then I remembered my wing. I would not be able to fly down the same way I did coming up.

I was never a good climber. I had been flying to get myself where I needed to go since I was little. I decided to use the elevator that that earth goddess had had installed. I staggered over to the elevator, which wasn't too far from the geyser itself. I pressed the button, signaling the elevator to begin its slow descent down the shaft. It was then that I collapsed into a heap by the guard rail on the platform. I stared up into the blue sky, the sun nearly overhead as it approached noon, until the safety doors above slowly shut away the light from the sun.

The lift arrived at Hell. I staggered to my feet, and made my way to my chamber, using the Third Leg as...well, a third leg. When I got to my room, I unlocked the Third Leg and slipped it off of my arm, and tossed it onto the table, rattling tools and knocking a couple into the floor. I collapsed onto my bed and passed out nearly instantly.

BANG BANG BANG BANG!

"Okuu! Open this door!"

My head, spine, and wing were still throbbing with pain, but I knew better than to keep Orin waiting. I found the strength to get up, and managed to make my way to the door to open it.

"Okuu, what have...holy...what the hell happened?"

I looked away at the floor in shame. Orin grabbed my chin and made me look at her.

"Okuu, the shrine maiden stopped me on my way here. What did you do?"

I didn't answer. She looked at my wing, and the condition of the buster left askew on the table. She then brought her hand roughly against my face-a slap similar to Satori's, that told me I had screwed up.

"The Mistresses sent me back to make sure everything's alright, and what do I find!? Two humans injured and a nearby forest up in smoke! I knew you were a birdbrain, Okuu, but I thought I'd be able to leave for a short while and NOT come back to find that you've started an incident! Do you know how STUPID I'm going to look for leaving you alone? Mistress Satori is going to kill us both! The shrine maiden will be the least of our worries!"

Again, I was quiet. I knew I had messed things up. I didn't need Orin to yell at me about it.

She sighed. "Come on to my room, so I can patch you up." 


	9. Emergency Protocol

CHAPTER 09 / Emergency Protocol

"You screwed up. The shrine maiden is probably making her way down the geyser now. You'd better fix this before the Mistresses come back."

Orin was pulling the strap around the brace. "Ah, ah...that's a little tight." She loosened it up a little, and secured the strap.

"Don't put any unnecessary stress on it or try to move it much. I wouldn't advise any fighting for awhile, best to say at least a week and a half."

"CAUTION! FOREIGN SUBSTANCE DETECTED IN MAIN REACTOR!"

"Well," Orin said, "she's here. Geez, doesn't she ever take the route through the Underground City? Isn't that much exposure to radiation hazardous to humans?"

"She did, that one time..."

"Whatever. Come on."

When we arrived, I unlocked the door to the direct maintenance bay of the main reactor, and went out into the reactor.

"Oi, oi! Up here!" She saw me, and instantly started throwing talismans at me. I ducked back behind the door and shut it, putting my back against it. I heard the paper talismans hit the door.

Orin looked at me with her arms crossed. "She's pissed, isn't she?" I nodded. "Dammit, Okuu," she sighed, "you are more trouble than you're worth, sometimes... Go get your buster and I'll hold her here!"

"You're going to attack her!? Won't that make things worse!?"

"You know how that shrine maiden is! Now go!"

I gave a quick nod, and ran back from the reactor. I ran through the primary core management terminal room, and turned to the corridor. It was at this point when...BLAM! A loud explosion rocked the corridor, followed by the blaring of a klaxon.

"CAUTION! REACTOR RUPTURE-LEAK IN MAIN REACTOR! SEALING AREA!"

I stopped as I heard the sounds of spells being called out and colliding, along with the various alarms. The red rotary lights on the ceiling lit up and started spinning. I started sprinting back to my room.

My room was red with the overhead alert light. The speaker was still dismounted from the wall, so the klaxon wasn't as loud in here. The terminal in the corner, however, was persistently beeping another alarm, but for the same reason. I reached towards the work table and grabbed the Third Leg, and put it on.

As I ran like hell back up the corridor, I heard the clamour of spells being declared, explosions from colliding attacks and bullets sent astray, and the seemingly omnipresent alarms. I stopped at the automatic door, which, when I moved toward it, started to open slowly, then stopped soon after. Sparks came from the touch panel next to the door, and it began to flicker as it blinked, 'SYSTEM MALFUNCTION.' I pulled at the door, but it wouldn't budge. I kicked at it several times. 'Clang! Clang! Clang!' Nothing. I started bashing at it with the buster, making even more clanging noises.

This was pissing me off, and stressing me out more than I needed to be stressed at this point. I pointed the Third Leg straight at the door and fired a medium-sized burst from it, which sent the steel door flying into the management room with an even louder 'CLANG!'

When I entered the room, I could see the blast door was already sealed. I wasted no time getting to the terminal. I immediately began instructing the console to shut down the main reactor and divert all jobs to the three secondary reactors, and typing in the override command to unseal the door.

'EMERGENCY OVERRIDE REQUESTED. UNLOCK TO CONTINUE.'

A panel opened up in the lower front of the terminal's base, and a hexagonal impression with six specially-formed keyholes was visible, along with the engraved text: 'Master Override.' I placed the end of the Third Leg into the impression, and waited briefly for all six keys to unlock before pulling it back out.

'ACCESS GRANTED.' Yet another alarm sounded as the blast door slowly opened.

"Okuu! What took yo-" Orin's greeting was cut short by an energy-composed Ying-Yang orb that hit her square in the back, hurling her into the wall by the blast door.

"You're next, crow!" 


	10. Regret

CHAPTER 10 / Regret

Reimu immediately flew toward me, readying a spellcard. I was in enough trouble already-was there no way around fighting?

"Your unprovoked attacks against my friends will NOT go unpunished! 'Fantasy Heaven'!"

As Reimu closed in on me, seven dimly-lit Ying-Yang orbs appeared from her body, and orbited her. As they rotated around her, they did so in various speeds and alternated clockwise and counterclockwise. I stopped examining her spell's effect once I realized that she switched positions in midair, to lead with her foot, in an attempt to land a kick on me. Any later on that realization and I wouldn't have been fast enough on the block.

It was at this time that I decided that reasoning with her was not going to happen. It was HER, after all...

Once she touched down on my buster, she immediately kicked off of it, landing a few meters in front of me, and instantly started charging at me again. Time to fight back!

I tore the brace off of my wing, and tossed it aside, before getting a running start and jumping into the air. The wing still hurt fairly bad, but I would endure it. Reimu, as expected, followed suit. We did a loop around the room before flying through the fresh hole in the main reactor, which was now dark, with the exception of the light that I seemed to give off, along with Reimu's Ying-Yangs.

"You come back here!" I glanced back as I led her up the geyser, seeing that she wasn't that far behind. But when I checked back again, she had disappeared. Suddenly, without any notice at all, she appeared above me, and landed a skull-crushing heel into the back of my head. I instantly inverted, freefalling upward until the momentum generated from flight wore off, then began to tumble back downward. I was seeing greenish-purple patterns in my eyes as I careened back towards the reactor. Thankfully, I managed to snap out of it before smashing into one of the lower catwalks.

Regaining flight took a moment. What had started off as a wild flapping flail, soon turned into a stationary hover. I saw her closing in on me again, this time, with one of her seven Ying-Yangs glowing brightly. She came in for another kick. Thinking quickly, I strafed to the left, but she turned her drop-kick into a sweep that struck me in my midriff. My vision blurred and I coughed a bit of blood as the kick knocked the wind out of me. She then flipped forward in midair, over my head, and kicked me again, square in the back of my head. This sent me head-first into the reactor wall.

I think I heard a crack.

My head was bleeding rather profusely at this point. Through my blurred vision, I could see two more of her orbs glowing brightly with the first. She flew close, and, leaving no time for reaction, threw me down into one of the catwalks. Another orb lit up, making four out of seven. I could only assume that only bad things would come from all of her Ying-Yang orbs becoming lit. Realizing the pattern, I decided that I wasn't going to let her land any more hits on me.

That was when she flew in and punched me in the face. The strange dark green and purple patterns filled my vision.

I blacked out... 


	11. Border of Heaven and Hell

CHAPTER 11 / Border of Heaven and Hell

I jerked up from my bed, afraid for my life. My first thought was, '...Was all of that a dream?'

The excruciating pain that followed from me suddenly sitting up proved how much of a reality it really was. I screamed in agony, and collapsed back onto my bed.

Everything slowly came back.

"I'm...alive...?" I touched the back of the bandage that was wrapped around the top of my head. "Ah, ow..." The wound was very tender, and the bandage was soaked with blood. "But...how did I..."

The door slid open.

"You have me to thank for that."

I looked towards the door to find Orin, wearing a sling around her arm. I slowly sat back up.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

"That's a strange thing to ask, considering how much of a pummeling you took. I should ask you the very same thing. Seriously, you look like shit..."

"Well, THAT'S what I wanna hear. Thanks."

"Sorry." Orin walked in and sat next to me. "I didn't mean it like that, Okuu... It's just that...you look..."

"It's okay, Orin. I know what you're trying to say." I smiled weakly. "But, what happened? I thought Reimu knocked you out..."

"She did. But when I came to, I didn't see you or her in the room. Then, I heard noise from inside the reactor."

Orin ran to the remains of the maintenance bay, to find me being held by my collar by Reimu, who, soon after, tossed me hard into the catwalk.

"I've got to get down there..." Orin didn't want to blow her cover just yet-she wanted to try and get the drop on Reimu.

Orin started to run down the catwalks, towards the lower maintenance area, where Reimu and I were. She came to a quick stop when she saw Reimu deliver the punch that knocked me out. I collapsed lifelessly to the catwalk grating. But it didn't stop there. Reimu picked me up, and smashed me into the wall once more after I had passed out. Another orb lit-that was six.

Orin began to tear up a bit. 'To hell with the element of surprise,' she thought to herself, 'my best friend is gonna die if I don't do something!'

"SSSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

Reimu, with my collar in her hand, looked back up at Orin.

"You'll kill her if you continue on like this!"

"Give me one good reason to stop!" The Ying-Yang orbs circulating around her glowed bright, showing much of the area around her. She only needed one more strike to allow her to unleash the killing blow.

"You are a shrine maiden, are you not? Do you think that it is just to go and kill someone with your bare hands like this?"

"My job is to resolve incidents! Your crow friend here attacked my friends, and I'm here for payback! I came down here for my payback and I am going to get it!" With that, she threw me hard into the wall once more, giving her the last of her Ying-Yang orbs. They begun to spin incredibly fast around her as they glowed brightly. Reimu jumped towards me from the catwalk as I rebounded off the wall. She was going to unleash her spell at its fullest, at near point-blank range.

Orin abandoned all thought and reason, and jumped down into the reactor, now freefalling into the fray.

"OOOOOKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Reimu looked up, just as Orin became within range to grab my wrist and pull me into her. We then fell down into the reactor. Orin could see Reimu as she, unable to call off her spell, aimlessly unleashed it all at nothing. From this ever increasing distance, it was hard for Orin to tell through the bright light what the spell actually did.

Orin clung to me as we fell. The bottom grating that separated the upper reactor from the inner core came up pretty fast, and Orin made sure that she was the one to land first.

"I completely crushed my shoulder. It should be fine before long, though, so don't worry." I nodded.

Orin went on to say that she took me through the core room and carried me the long way up, making sure to avoid anywhere that Reimu might think to look for us. When we got to the observation deck, Reimu was nowhere to be seen, and Orin had presumed that she had went back to the surface.

"Look-I'll handle things so that we can make things right. You just rest, okay?"

"Okay." I slowly let myself down onto the bed, as Orin started towards the door.

"Ah...Orin?"

"Yeah?" She stopped in the doorway, and turned to me. I smiled.

"Thank you." She returned a smile, and turned the corner. I let my eyes slip closed. 


	12. Coming to Terms

CHAPTER 12 / Coming to Terms

What started all this?

I had woken up after sleeping for a rather decent amount of time. At this point, I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the events leading up to this point.

'Let's see...the shrine maiden and the witch entered Hell with Razu Teionhakushi... Ignoring him ultimately led to my defeat. He...saw to my recovery afterward... That's right, he brought me to the shrine maiden's place to recover, didn't he...'

I started to feel arrogant.

'...Then I started planning my revenge...but why? He helped me recover...' Then I remembered, I was treating them rather harshly when they came down. I never let them explain their business. And that Razu...I paid him no attention whatsoever, when, in the end, he needed my help.

I sighed, and fell backwards onto the bed, enclosing my face in my hands. "I'm such an idiot." This entire incident was because I was an arrogant ass.

I decided that I was going to visit Reimu, to apologize.

"So you're going up there? To her place? After that vicious pummeling?"

I nodded.

"And you want me to stay here?"

I nodded again.

"And you expect to live?"

"Just trust me," I replied. "If I go alone, there's less of a likelihood that she will feel threatened, right? Maybe she will hear me out."

Orin stood there. "Alright...but at the first sign of trouble you come right back, alright?"

I smiled. "Of course." We both paused for a moment. "Hey..."

"Yeah?"

"Wanna see me off?"

"Sure." We both walked to the elevator. I would have taken the geyser, but I wasn't in any condition to fly.

We arrived at the surface, and I waved goodbye to Orin as she went back down the lift, and started walking toward the shrine. It was rather sunny today, and the light breeze felt nice. It was a shame that I wasn't able to fly.

I soon arrived at the shrine. Reimu was sweeping leaves from the walkway. When she saw me, her eyes widened, and she tossed the broom aside and reached into her sleeve.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I put my hands up, showing I was unarmed-I had decided to leave the Third Leg behind this time.

Reimu slipped her hand out of her opposing sleeve and crossed her arms. "Well, what do you want?"

I sighed in relief. "Look, I know I've been acting rather..."

"Like an ass?"

"...Well...yes. I realize how stupid I've been and I want to apologize. Can you take me to Razu and Marisa?"

She looked at me, arms crossed, with an expression of skepticism and suspicion.

"Please? I left my spellcards behind, too." In fact, the only thing I had brought with me were the clean clothes I had changed into before leaving, and the bandages and braces concealing my wounds.

The shrine maiden sighed heavily. "Alright...but I'm watching you. Understand?" I nodded. "Come with me, then."

"Um...I can't fly."

"What?"

"I can't fly. My wing is broken."

"...Fine. I guess we're walking." 


	13. Making Amends

CHAPTER 13 / Making Amends

It had been awhile since I had taken a leisurely walk through Gensokyo. I enjoyed it, though I still missed flying.

"You said that you changed your clothes, right? That looks like the same outfit you always wear."

I smiled. "It's my favourite outfit, so I have a few of them."

Reimu looked surprised. "Hmm...maybe I should start doing that. This outfit gets dirty often, and I've even had to patch it together on a few occasions." I looked over her outfit, and I did manage to find what seemed to be some homemade stitchwork here and there.

We had made it into the forest, and we were coming up on the junction that splits up in three paths. I knew that Marisa and Razu lived in this area, but I had forgotten who the other was. I was so deep in thought trying to remember, when I bumped into someone, causing the stranger to stumble backwards and fall.

"A-ah, I, um...s-sorry!" the girl stammered as she quickly got back on her feet, bowing her head several times. She was dressed in a green button-up shirt, which had yellow sleeves. She had long, red hair, topped with a yellow hat.

"A youkai! Stand back, I've got it!" Reimu jumped in front of me and reached for her talismans.

"Wait, Reimu!"

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" The red-head put her hands over her head and ducked.

"Reimu!"

"What?"

"I don't think she means us any harm..."

"Eh?" She looked down at the cowering girl in yellow and green. "Eh...I guess you're right..."

"D-d-don't hurt me! I was only going for a walk!"

"Waaaait a second." Reimu inspected the stranger more closely. "Have we met...?"

She opened one eye and looked up at Reimu.

"Wait...aren't you that shrine maiden?" She stood up. "Oh, my...you've changed so much since I last saw you... Did you dye your hair?"

"Actually, this is my natural colour... Anyway, I'm not quite sure I remember you..."

"What? Don't you remember beating me up years ago in the mountains?"

She pondered for a moment, when suddenly...

"Youkai, ze! Watch out Reimu!"

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Both Reimu and I shouted. "Wait, Marisa!"

Razu came running from the direction of Marisa's place. "I heard you shout 'youkai;' is this her?"

"Don't hurt me!"

I spoke up. "Everyone, calm the hell down already! Geez!"

"Okuu again, ze!?"

"Get away from Marisa!"

This was getting annoying. "HOLD ON A DAMN SECOND!"

Everyone stopped.

"I have something to say...Marisa, Razu." They both focused on me, along with Reimu and the new girl. "I came here to apologize for my actions."

Razu spoke up. "You attack us without asking what our business is, try to kill me and Marisa, and even kidnapped Marisa in an attempt to lure me into a trap...and you are...'sorry'?"

I looked down. "I'll understand if you don't accept my apology..."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"...Raz, whaddaya think, ze?"

"...I don't know...what do you think?"

"Well...she did come without her buster...I can only assume she's completely unarmed, ze."

"Anyone searched her yet?"

"Just a wallet on her, ze." Marisa waved my wallet.

I checked my pocket. "Wha...hey!"

"Ehe."

Reimu smiled. "Wow, she's good." The newcomer covered her mouth and laughed quietly as I snatched my wallet out of her hand.

"Well," Razu smiled, "being pummeled within an inch of your life by Reimu and victimized by Marisa's kleptomanic tendencies seems like punishment enough, I suppose."

"Hey, I just couldn't help myself, ze.~"

I smiled wide. "Thank you very much! I really am sorry, thanks!"

There was yet another pause. "Well, if that's all resolved, I'm going home. See ya." With that, Reimu flew off.

"So..." I looked at the yellow-green girl." "What's your name?"

"U-Um...it's Orange..."

"Well, it's nice to meet you."

Orange smiled. "Thank you. It's not often I meet nice people..."

"Oh, um...Razu? Can you give me a lift to the geyser? My wing's broken."

Razu nodded. "Sure. Comin' with, Marisa?"

"Of course, ze!" With that, Razu turned to aim his hand toward the direction of Marisa's house, and I saw a broom ascend over the trees, and quickly fly towards Marisa as Razu guided it.

"Heads up, here it comes Marisa."

"Little closer, ze...little more...NOW!" Marisa jumped into the air, and reached below her to grab the broom just as it passed under her. "YEEE-HAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Razu, Orange, and I smiled as we watched Marisa take off. "Well, shall we go now, Utsuho?"

"U-um..." Orange looked at me. "C-can I go with? Erm...I can't fly..."

I glanced at Razu.

"Sure." Razu began to float, and with him, myself and Orange. Orange, being new to flight, began flailing trying to maintain her balance. As we began flying towards the geyser, she began to enjoy it more. She even began spreading her arms as if they were wings.

In the end, I still regret causing all that trouble. But hey, I was at least able to meet Orange. I was sure that we would become great friends.

"So, Orange...you ever been to Hell?"

"What!?"

I brought Orange to Hell with me, and introduced her to Orin. She said I had better not let the Mistresses see her until we are sure she's okay with her visiting. When Mistresses Satori and Koishi returned, that said it was okay as long as we keep her out of trouble. She still visits every now and then to this day.

On top of gaining a new friend, I learned something very important. From then on, I made sure I learned any visitor/intruder's business before trying to blast them. That...and I was a bit out of practice. I decided that I might go challenge Razu to a friendly game of danmaku sometime soon.

Oh...and the Mistresses never heard a word of the incident. Somehow, the tengu missed it, and I had decided that it would be best if they didn't know. 


End file.
